Sanitation Certification Practice Test

Which of the following is a critical prevention measure for Hepatitis A?

1. Freezing food

2. Cooking to high temperatures

3. Avoiding cross-contamination

4. Avoiding bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods

The correct answer is: Avoiding bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods

The critical prevention measure for Hepatitis A is avoiding bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods. This is essential because Hepatitis A is primarily transmitted via the fecal-oral route, meaning that the virus can spread through contaminated food or water. When food handlers have direct contact with ready-to-eat foods using bare hands, there is a significant risk of transferring the virus from their hands to the food if they have not practiced proper hand hygiene. By employing methods such as using gloves or utensils to handle ready-to-eat products, the risk of cross-contamination is minimized. This practice is vital in food service settings where the safety of the food directly impacts public health, particularly for vulnerable populations. While freezing food and cooking it to high temperatures can inactivate many pathogens, they are not specific prevention measures for Hepatitis A, as the virus can withstand freezing and is not reliably destroyed by cooking if the food is handled improperly afterward. Avoiding cross-contamination is an important practice in general food safety; however, when it comes to preventing Hepatitis A specifically, the focus on hand contact with ready-to-eat foods plays a more critical role.